Bay Nature

Featured Places to Go

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

47 acres
San Mateo County
Fitzgerald was a favorite haunt of biologist Ed Ricketts, friend and inspiration for John Steinbeck. It's no wonder: The tidepools here are among the best in the region, and you'll get to see the large resident population of harbor seals as well.

Almaden Quicksilver Park

4153 acres
Santa Clara County
Hike, ride horseback, or bicycle along 30 miles of trails and cool your feet in Los Alamitos Creek. Native Americans once lived in these beautiful hills, and Spanish explorers named the area "Almaden." Mercury was actively mined here for over 200 years. Now the sycamore, maple, bay laurel, and valley oak trees have reclaimed the hillsides, and the banks of the creek are lush with riparian flora and fauna.

Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area

519 acres
Alameda County
Once the site of gravel mining operations, the quarries have long since been flooded and used for groundwater recharging. Horsehoe Lake and Rainbow Lake are open to picnicking, swimming, and non-motorized watercraft, while Willow Slough and Lago Los Osos are reserved for wildlife habitat.

Samuel P. Taylor State Park

2706 acres
Marin County
Samuel P. Taylor State Park offers a cool forest respite on hot summer days. With redwood groves and open grassland, creekside habitat, a network of hiking trails, picnic and camping areas, and an easy three-mile paved bike path, there’s something for everyone at this 2,700-acre park in the hills of Marin County.